By admin 
SURPRISE, Ariz. — The Surprise City Council unanimously approved new setback rules for battery energy storage systems Tuesday night, opting for a flexible approach that city leaders say balances safety concerns with growing energy needs.
Rather than establishing a single minimum distance between battery storage facilities and homes, the council voted 7-0 to allow setbacks ranging from 100 to 500 feet, giving the city discretion when evaluating future projects.
The decision follows months of discussion about how close battery energy storage systems, commonly known as BESS, should be allowed near residential neighborhoods.
“We need time for our residents and our community to learn to trust these BESS facilities,” Councilman Chris Judd said before the vote.
The issue carries special significance in Surprise.
Seven years ago, the APS McMicken Battery Energy Storage Facility suffered a catastrophic failure that resulted in an explosion and severely injured firefighters responding to the scene. The incident remains one of the most significant battery storage accidents in the country and has continued to shape public discussions about the technology.
Despite that history, speakers who addressed the council largely supported reducing separation requirements.
Residents and community advocates argued that newer battery storage projects are significantly safer than earlier generations of the technology and will be necessary to meet Arizona’s growing electricity demands.
“We need and must have an infrastructure capable of supporting that growth,” Surprise resident Ted Murphy told the council.
Other speakers argued that overly restrictive setbacks could increase energy costs and make new projects more difficult to build.
“Every time we reduce these things, we find ourselves at a higher cost for energy, right?” one public commenter said.
Another speaker said, “Today’s energy storage projects are safer than they ever have been.”
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The council considered several options, including fixed setbacks of 1,000 feet, 500 feet or 100 feet from existing homes.
Developers of battery storage projects argued that larger setbacks would significantly reduce the amount of usable land available for facilities, potentially limiting future energy infrastructure investments.
Still, some city officials expressed caution.
Assistant City Manager Lloyd Abrams explained that staff initially recommended a 1,500-foot setback because it aligned with evacuation guidance often used for hazardous incidents.
“We thought that was reasonable to start with because that’s the normal standard for evacuation of any kind of hazardous incident,” Abrams said.
The final policy places Surprise between other Valley cities that have adopted differing approaches to battery storage development.
According to city officials, Buckeye requires a 150-foot setback, while Mesa requires battery storage facilities to be located 1,000 feet from homes.
Industry representatives and supporters of the projects maintain that battery energy storage technology has improved substantially since the 2019 McMicken explosion. Advances in fire suppression systems, monitoring technologies and safety standards have been cited as reasons communities nationwide are increasingly embracing the facilities.
Battery storage systems play a key role in modern power grids by storing electricity generated from solar and wind resources for later use, helping utilities manage demand and improve reliability.
With the council’s approval, future battery storage projects in Surprise will be reviewed under the new setback framework, allowing city officials to determine appropriate distances based on the specifics of each proposal.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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